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Chelsea host Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (December 3) in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino's team are coming of a demoralising 4-1 defeat at Newcastle United last weekend.
Meanwhile, the Blues have to break the bank to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in January. Elsewhere, on-loan Blues striker Romelu Lukaku is not convinced by a move to St. James' Park.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on December 3, 2023:
Victor Osimhen to cost Chelsea a fortune in January
Chelsea will have to offer a massive fee to sign Victor Osimhen in January, according to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Nigerian forward could leave Napoli next year following a social media controversy. The Blues are looking for a new No. 9 in January and are prioritising a move for Osimhem, according to The Telegraph.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that a move in the summer for the striker is more realistic.
"There’s no change to the Victor Osimhen situation, guys. I keep repeating the same thing regarding January, and that is that I don’t expect the player to be made available by Napoli at that time.
"Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis seems fairly confident that his player will stay, suggesting that Osimhen’s new contract, offered last summer, is ready to be signed," wrote Romano.
He continued:
"My information is that, at the moment, the contract extension is not guaranteed yet, so it remains all open. The Serie A side will keep insisting that they don’t want Osimhen to leave early in the new year, so it will need to be a crazy bid in order to tempt Napoli to do business.
"Otherwise, Osimhen’s situation becomes a hot topic for the summer transfer window."
Osimhen's contract with the Serie A champions expires in 2025, but he hasn't agreed an extension yet.
Romelu Lukaku unconvinced by Newcastle move
Romelu Lukaku is not sure about a move to Newcastle United, according to Voetbalkrant.
The Belgian striker left Chelsea this summer to join AS Roma on a season-long loan. Lukaku has done well at the Stadio Olimpico, registering 10 goals and one assist in 16 outings. However, a return to Stamford Bridge is unlikely, with the player no longer part of the Blues' plans.
The London giants are expected to push for a permanent end to a long-drawn saga in the summer. The Magpies are interested in his services as they look to add more quality to their attack.
Newcastle have been on the rise under Eddie Howe and could be a tempting prospect for Lukaku, but the 30-year-old has doubts regarding the move.
Steve Cooper explains Andrey Santos' lack of game time
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has explained Andrey Santos' lack of minutes at the City Ground.
The Brazilian youngster joined Forest this summer on loan from Chelsea but has appeared just twice. The Blues are frustrated by the situation and looking to end the deal in January, according to The Athletic
Speaking recently, as cited by The Metro, Cooper said that Santos must bide his time in the Premier League due to his age.
"Everyone would have liked Andrey to play more. He is a really good young player, but there isn’t a load of players his age who are playing regularly in the Premier League.
"It is the sort of situation where if he was our player, he would be in the perfect situation of being in and around the first team, looking to involve him and giving him some exposure when you can, but knowing you are developing him and getting him ready," said Cooper.
He continued:
“The context to it is he isn’t our player. He is Chelsea’s, and that probably just adds a few question marks to the situation, which I understand. I take individual youth development personally.
"It means a lot to me because of my background and where I spent a lot of my coaching years. That will be no different with Andrey. In terms of the training programme, yes, game time has been very minimal. But I think the question has come up because we’re not his parent club.”
The London giants signed Santos from Brazilian side Vasco da Gama in January this year.
